Family Visits
by gethsemane342
Summary: Once a month, Sam has to visit her father in jail. It's a day she looks forward to and dreads in equal amounts. Let's see how she does on one, randomly picked visit...


Disclaimer; I do not own iCarly

Geth342: This is sort of based on my other oneshot but you don't need to have read it. One thing though- i have no idea where the nearest jail to Seattle is, or whether there is one 1.5 hours away as i have never been to Seattle or America. Just go with it please :) Anyway, i hope you enjoy.

Family Visits

Of the many taboo subjects in the Puckett's apartment, the one most thought about is Mr. Puckett.

Why is it taboo? Well, there are a lot of reasons. Because he is in jail. He has been for two years and he will be for three years. Because, he's left his wife and daughter alone. Because he offers no support. You could pick one of those.

They're not the only reasons though. Mrs. Puckett is angry at the way her life is going and angry because, when it comes down to it, she's not sure she could ever willingly divorce him.

And Sam? Well, we'll get to her reasoning in due course.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Today is a hard day for Sam. A difficult one.

Once a week, Mrs. Puckett will make the hour and a half drive up to the jail to visit her husband. Inevitably, she will come back furious and Sam will take this as a cue to escape to Carly's. But once a month, Sam will go too. And today is that day, a day Sam has been looking forward to and dreading in equal amounts. Let's see what happens…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

At eleven o'clock exactly, Sam meets her mom by the entrance. Neither of them comment on Sam's clean appearance- her hair is washed, her skin completely clean and her clothes look astonishingly nice for a 'casual' visit.- nor do they comment on the fact that Mrs. Puckett is wearing her make-up, her wedding ring, an old necklace and that there is no smell of alcohol on her.

As they get into the truck, they catch each other's eye. They smile once, painfully, and then look away. The journey is filled mainly with silence. Occasionally, Mrs. Puckett tries to make small talk but the silence is too awkward for that. Occasionally, Sam receives a text message off Carly but she puts the phone onto 'Silent'- the quiet is too sacred for a message alert. Besides, Carly doesn't text that often because she does know, in a way, what day it is. Of course, she won't say because the first rule of taboo is to not acknowledge the subject.

The first time they speak in a while is to ask the officer at the desk if they can see Mr. Puckett. Sam has seen the officer before- his name is Steve and he was the one who calmed her down two months ago when she ran out and tried to smash a chair- but he acts as though they are complete strangers. Only when they start to leave does he wink at Sam as a way of greeting.

Once Sam and her mom are in the allocated room, Mr. Puckett is lead in. Automatically, Mrs. Puckett gets up and gives him a quick kiss. Then Sam stands up and he gives her a hug and a kiss on her clean forehead. She ignores the missing tooth in his mouth.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Perhaps, before we continue, a few things should be pointed out about Mr. Puckett. He is a loving man, although a tough man. He is very similar to his daughter in that respect. Tough, loyal and loving. But he's also abrasive, rude and set in his ideas. He doesn't like to hurt his family but…well, you will see.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The conversation starts off lightly. Mr. Puckett has always had a gift for making Sam laugh and this is no different- she is soon giggling in a most un-Sam like way as he describes the antics of his cell-mate who has attempted to escape no less than seventeen times.

Sam describes iCarly for him because he has no way to see it and he laughs as she talks about their last guest- a boy who could sing the National Anthem in French whilst juggling and hopping on one leg.

Mrs. Puckett speaks for a bit about an incident that happened to her the day before, at the grocery store. The other two unite in a rare show of sympathy for her.

They feel like a normal family.

But then, as always, it begins to go downhill. Mrs. Puckett wants to know if there's any chance of an early release but, having the same instinct for trouble as Sam, there is none. He hedges the question and no one really pushes it further but there is no doubt that it has set the mood.

They quickly exhaust most other topics. They even discuss Sam's love life, which she sums up bluntly ("There is none, Dad.") Then, he asks how Sam is doing in school.

"Great, Dad." She mutters unwillingly.

"Acing all your tests?" He asks in a surprisingly jovial voice. There is no reply but both mother and daughter exchange a look which clearly says 'is he mad?'. He frowns. "Don't tell me you failed another one."

"No." Sam says defiantly. Mrs. Puckett looks guilty so Sam says, "Yes. Maths." Then, thinking quickly, she adds, "But I got a C in my history test." It is the highest grade she has had all semester.

Half the answers were on the board because the teacher forgot to wipe them off. She doesn't mention that.

He still frowns. "That's not too bad." He grumbles. "What about your other subjects?"

"Mostly Ds, honey." Mrs. Puckett answers when Sam remains silent. "But she's really trying this year." This is a lie. Sam can't see the point in trying.

"How are you going to get anywhere?" He admonishes. She is still silent. Somehow, fighting her father is too hard. "If you were-" He sees Mrs. Puckett's face and hastily finishes with, "A little bit more hard-working, you'd be fine." This is a bit hypocritical, coming from the laziest man in Seattle.

All credit due to Mrs. Puckett. She tries to steer the conversation away from school but Mr. Puckett is persistent and somehow, the fact that Sam has a month's worth of detention leaks out. He is furious.

He begins to shout at her, telling her that he is sick of being told she's not trying, that she's always in detention, that he's put up with too much crap to listen to this. Last time, Sam shouted right back. This time, she does not because if she does, they will argue and that will be three failed visits in a row.

"Why don't you say something?" He shouts.

"Sorry, Dad." She replies in a very subdued tone.

"Is that it? You're sorry?" He screams. Sam remains silent. Then he shouts it. The same line as always. "I wish you were a boy." He snarls. "A boy wouldn't be half this trouble."

Last month, she got angry and hit him in the mouth, knocking out a tooth. This time, she just looks at the floor, determined not to fight back. But he keeps shouting and when, unbidden, a tear falls off her face, he starts shouting that now she is crying like a girl.

Sam gets up and screams, "I hate you!" before kicking her chair and running out of the room. She runs down into reception, spots a nearby teenage boy and attempts to hit him. Officer Steve stops her.

"What's wrong, Sam?" He asks in a soothing voice.

"I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!" She shouts, sounding remarkably child-like. She lashes out. Steve holds on.

"You don't mean that."

"You don't know what I mean." She snarls back.

"Maybe you should give your dad a second chance." He persists.

"No!" She struggles again.

He spends a few minutes calming her down. Once done, he tries to convince her that she doesn't hate her father.

"There's my mom." She replies tonelessly. "I gotta go."

"Aren't you going to say bye to your dad?" He asks rather uselessly.

"No."

"You won't se him for a month though. Won't you miss him?"

"Like a slow-healing scab wound." Sam sounds more like her normal self. She walks over to her mom. Steve gives up and says goodbye to the pair of them.

Once in the car, they are both allowed to break taboo once. Sam asks whether she really has to see him again because she hates him. Mrs. Puckett calls him the most annoying man on earth. Then they remain silent, thinking their dark thoughts.

Once in the apartment, they separate and stay in their rooms. A clinking noise comes from Mrs. Puckett's room, as though she is drinking, but she is actually looking at old presents from her husband. There is a smashing noise from Sam's room, as though she is breaking something. She is watching an old family video. They are both upset.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

At night, as Sam goes to bed (her own bed for once and not Carly's spare bed) Mrs. Puckett comes in on a rare visit. She is unusually sober and, for some reason, in a family mood. She tucks Sam in properly (Sam grumbles about not being a kid but she secretly likes it) and kisses her on the forehead.

"It sure is quiet in here," She says casually, as she turns the light out.

"I know, Mom." Sam replies quietly. "I miss him too."


End file.
